What was the difference between the economies of the New England and Middle Colonies?

Colonial America depended on the natural environment for the basic needs of the people and the colony. Available natural resources determined each region’s unique specialty. Specialized economies quickly emerged as a result of human and environmental interaction.

Colonial America had regional differences for establishment of each colony. The southern colonies were established as economic ventures, seeking natural resources to provide wealth to the mother country and themselves. In contrast, the early New England colonists were primarily religious reformers and Separatists. They were seeking a new way of life to glorify God and for the greater good of their spiritual life. The middle colonies welcomed people from diverse lifestyles. Their social-political structure included all three varieties: villages, cities and small farms.

There were also differences in the human resources. New England had craftsmen skilled in shipbuilding. The Mid-Atlantic had a workforce of farmers, fishermen, and merchants. The Southern Colonies were mostly agricultural with few cities and limited schools.

New England’s economy at first specialized in nautical equipment. Later the region developed mills and factories. The environment was ideal for water-powered machinery (mills), allowing for products such as woven cloth and metal tools. The middle colonies had rich farmland and a moderate climate, making it more suitable to grow grain and livestock. The coastal lowland and bays provided harbors, thus the middle colonies were able to provide trading opportunities where the three regions met in the market towns and cities. The southern colonies had fertile farmlands that contributed to the rise of cash crops such as rice, tobacco, and indigo. Plantations developed and slavery allowed the wealthy and large landowners to cultivate large tracts of land.

For the people of the South, life was rugged and rural, while the people of the North were connected to the church and village community.

Comparing the Colonial Regions

Think about the geography and location of the city or town you live in. Are there bodies of water like rivers, lakes or coasts nearby? Or perhaps you live in a place with vast open fields suitable for farming or raising livestock. The natural environment is important when understanding how cities and towns developed. The earliest North American colonies depended on their natural environment. The type of soil, climate, length of seasons, and proximity to bodies of water all played a role in how each colony prospered.

By the 1700’s, the American colonies grew into three distinct regions. The New England, Middle, and Southern regions each had different geographical and cultural characteristics that determined the development of their economy, society, and relationship to each other. 

The New England region included Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. The geography consisted of forests and hills. Combined with the hard rocky land,  cold climate and long winters, New England’s land was poor for large farming. Those who had small family owned farms were called Yeoman farmers. Colonists relied on fishing and whaling. They became craftsmen and merchants, building and selling boats and lumber. New England settlers were Puritans, hard working, and very religious. Close families and strong communities were very important to them. 

The Middle Colonies included Pennsylvania, Delaware, New York, and New Jersey. The geography of the middle region had a warmer climate with fertile soil, flat land, swift rivers, and wide valleys making it perfect for farming and growing crops. Wealthy farmers grew cash crops and raised livestock. Mining and trading were also important aspects of their economy. Urban merchants would sell and trade their goods to the other colonies. The people of the middle colonies supported religious freedom and tolerance and had a diverse population with different ethnicities.

The Southern Colonies included the first English colony of Virginia, and grew to include Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The geography had rich fertile soil with broad coastal plains that made it possible for plantations to grow tobacco, rice, and indigo. Many large plantations were owned by wealthy planters. Smaller farms were owned by subsistence farmers who farmed land and raised stocks to support themselves and their families and had very little left over to sell or trade. 

A large part of the labor force for these farms came from enslaved men and women of African ancestry. Those held in slavery had few, if any, rights and often saw their families torn apart.  Like in the Middle Colonies, the southern colonies had greater religious freedom than in New England, but the Church of England was the majority. The majority of colonists in the Southern region were men.

What were the economic differences between the three colonial regions?

What is the main difference between the economy of the New England colonies and the economy of the southern colonies?

What was one difference between the Middle Colonies and England?

What are the two major differences between the Middle Colonies and the New England colonies?